I've been writing pretty consistently for the past few months, but this week I hit a wall. Every time I sit down to write, nothing comes. The page stays blank.
How do you all deal with writer's block? Do you have any tricks or rituals that help you push through?
I've tried:
Getting a bit frustrated. Any advice appreciated!
First: writer's block is normal. It happens to everyone, even (especially?) prolific writers.
A few things that help me:
1. Lower the stakes. Don't sit down to write "a poem." Sit down to write three terrible lines about what you had for breakfast. Sometimes removing pressure unlocks flow.
2. Borrow a constraint. Try an exercise: write a poem using only one-syllable words. Or write a poem where every line starts with the next letter of the alphabet. Constraints can be liberating.
3. Write about the block. Literally: "I am sitting here with nothing to say. The cursor blinks at me like an accusation..." Sometimes the poem is in the frustration itself.
4. Read differently. Instead of reading for pleasure, read one poem very slowly. Copy it out by hand. Then write a "response" poem or steal its structure.
Hang in there. The words will come back.
I find that block often means I'm trying to write the wrong thing.
When I'm stuck, I ask myself: What am I avoiding? Sometimes there's a poem I need to write but don't want to face. The block is resistance to that harder, truer poem.
Other times, I'm just tired. The well is empty and needs refilling. That's okay. Not writing for a week isn't failure - it's rest.
One practical tip: I keep a "spark file" - random lines, images, overheard phrases. When I'm blocked, I browse through it. Often something catches and I can build from there.
Be patient with yourself!